The National Lottery Community Fund unveils insights from its recent Community Research Index, highlighting the strong community spirit and engagement within local communities across the UK.
The survey, conducted annually and comprising input from over 8,000 individuals, shed light on the prevailing sentiments regarding community spirit. A remarkable 72% of respondents expressed the importance of feeling connected to their local community, with 59% affirming the presence of a strong community spirit in their area.
Crucially, the report highlighted the substantial benefits derived from community interaction. Among the findings, 59% of participants attributed feelings of increased safety to community engagement, while 55% reported experiencing a profound sense of belonging.
David Knott, CEO of The National Lottery Community Fund, underscored the significance of these findings, foreseeing 2024, saying, “It’s clear that 2024 will be another year where communities pull together to tackle shared challenges and to support each other.”
“A continued sense of community spirit and belonging, and a desire to be involved (including volunteering) are welcome bright spots that set the tone for the year ahead, Knott remarked. “Local people know what their community needs and have the passion, energy and know-how to make it happen.”
However, despite the willingness of 64% of respondents to enhance their local communities, only 46% felt they had a viable role to play. Despite this, the survey revealed a promising commitment to volunteerism, with half of the respondents expressing intentions to engage in volunteering activities this year and a notable 14% considering it for the first time.
Knott further emphasized, “This year they will have even more grassroots funding support as we have doubled the amount and term of our small grants programme, National Lottery Awards for All. It’s a key part of our drive to use our funding to strengthen society and improve lives across the UK in 2024 and beyond.”
This positive outlook coincides with recent initiatives by The National Lottery including the gifting of unique footballs to QPR in the Community Trust. Highlighting the organization’s ongoing commitment to supporting community initiatives.
